Keto Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
This Keto Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is crunchy, creamy, easy, and satisfying. Make-ahead and meal-prep friendly, it’s perfect for everyday meals and gatherings.
This Keto Broccoli Salad is seriously delicious and surprisingly satisfying. Fresh broccoli florets are tossed with smoky bacon, chopped walnuts, diced red onion, and a creamy poppy seed dressing for a salad that’s crunchy, nutty, tangy, and slightly sweet. Made with simple, clean ingredients it’s hearty, healthy, and full of flavour. It comes together quickly and can be made ahead and kept in the fridge, making it perfect for potlucks, meal prep, and easy weeknight dinners.
Why you’ll love this Keto Broccoli Salad
- It’s hearty and satisfying without the carbs. By skipping the traditional dried cranberries and leaning on crispy bacon, crunchy walnuts, and poppy seed-infused dressing, this broccoli salad delivers big flavour and texture in every bite.
- It’s simple, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for everyday life. This salad comes together super quick with everyday ingredients and can be prepped ahead, making it ideal for meal prep, potlucks, and easy weeknight dinners.
- It’s a fresh, keto-friendly twist on a classic favourite. You still get that familiar sweet and savoury broccoli salad vibe, just made lighter, cleaner, and low-carb.
Why this Keto Broccoli Salad works
This broccoli salad is made keto-friendly by skipping the traditional dried cranberries and using crispy bacon and chopped walnuts instead. The result is a hearty, low-carb take on the classic, with plenty of crunch and flavour in every bite.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Broccoli – Fresh broccoli florets provide the crisp, hearty base for this salad and hold up well to the creamy dressing. Chopped kale also works great here!
- Bacon – Crispy, crumbled bacon adds smoky, salty depth and satisfying richness. Omit the bacon for a vegetarian-friendly dish.
- Walnuts – Add crunch and earthy nuttiness. For a nut-free option, use sunflower seeds instead.
- Red Onion – Delivers a sharp bite and pop of colour. You could also use shallots.
- Mayonnaise – Full-fat mayonnaise creates a rich, creamy dressing base. To make this dressing paleo-friendly, use an avocado oil-based mayonnaise.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds brightness and balances the richness of the mayo.
- Erythritol (optional) – Adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing. I use Swerve Granular sweetener, but you can use any brand of erythritol granular sweetener or your sugar-free sweetener of choice. Just be sure to adjust the quantity for the sweetness of your sugar substitute. For a paleo-friendly dressing, you could use a little honey or maple syrup. Or, omit the sweetener altogether.
- Poppy Seeds – Bring a subtle crunch and that classic poppy seed flavour.
- Salt – Enhances the flavour of the dressing.
How to make Keto Broccoli Salad
Just two easy steps to make keto broccoli salad! Step one, make the dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, granular sweetener, poppy seeds, and salt until well mixed. Step two, make the salad: In a large bowl, add the broccoli, crumbled bacon, chopped walnuts, and diced red onion. I like to reserve a little bacon, walnuts, and onions for topping at the end (especially if I’m serving this dish table side or bringing it to a gathering), but it’s not necessary. Top with salad dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle extra bacon, walnuts, and onions over top and serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serving + Storage Tips
- Serve this salad alongside grilled chicken, steak, or salmon (like this sheet pan firecracker salmon)
- Enjoy it as a make-ahead lunch
- Bring it to BBQs, potlucks, or picnics
Storage: This broccoli salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator and is best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
Make ahead: This salad is a great make-ahead dish and the flavours improve after a few hours in the fridge. Just keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and toss it again before serving.
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Keto Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 4 strips cooked bacon, chopped
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
For the poppy seed dressing
- ½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Swerve Granular sweetener, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, granular sweetener, poppy seeds, and salt until well mixed.
- Make the salad. In a large bowl, add the broccoli, crumbled bacon, chopped walnuts, and diced red onion. I like to reserve a little bacon, walnuts, and onions for topping at the end (especially if I’m serving this dish table side or bringing it to a gathering), but it’s not necessary. Top with salad dressing and toss to coat.
- Serve (or chill). Sprinkle extra bacon, walnuts, and onions over top and serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve (up to 3 days).
